Return to Me
by beingbored
Summary: Sometimes, when friends come back, it's a thing of joy. Sometimes, it's a thing of pain.
1. Chapter 1

**Here is my new story for everyone. This takes place like right after the first chapter ends, so they haven't even met Leo yet. I hope you all enjoy it. Off we go!**

There it was, fading in the distance, that city that had been the source of Hisui's imprisonment. It was now nothing more than a dark mass on the horizon, a grey and brown blob with vague angles and points. Hisui had his chin resting in his hand, staring blankly at the disappearing landmass. Was he really free from ever having to face that humiliation again? Would he really find happiness here with Ikuta?

The town itself wasn't really anything of importance to Hisui. He had never been outside the Governor's mansion. He didn't know the first thing about the town or its people. Though, from his brief experience with the old woman he would guess the people weren't that nice to begin with. But it was still strange to think that Hisui had lived in that horrible place for six months and all he knew was that cage and that display room. Come to think of it, Hisui's village didn't hold a lot for him either. Sure he lived there for most of his life. But there was no connection there. He had no friends, no family, not even a dog to call his own. In a way, Hisui was a stranger everywhere he had been. He had never belonged anywhere. That is, until he met Ikuta.

It was strange to think how quickly his life could change; how quickly his perceptions on the world could change. Before Ikuta pulled him out of that cage and ran through the forest, out into the sea, Hisui thought people were nothing more than greedy individuals, only wanting to use Hisui for money or their own gain. But Ikuta was different, at least he seemed that way. Hisui hadn't even known him for a week so the man could turn out to be a horrible person. But there was something in the way that Ikuta looked at him. It made Hisui feel safe and, if he was being honest, cared for. Ikuta probably didn't care about Hisui like he did the rest of the crew. But in the short amount of time Hisui knew him, he would believe that one day they would be as close as the other members of the crew.

Hisui couldn't help but smile as the city finally disappeared from view. He was free. The sky and the sea stretched endlessly before him. There were so many lands to explore, so many things to discover. He couldn't wait for his life to begin. He couldn't wait for Ikuta to drag him into the world and showed him all he was missing. A shadow moved into Hisui's peripheral vision. He turned to see Ikuta standing there, looking a tad worried.

"Are you alright, Hisui? Are you feeling sick?" Ikuta asked. Hisui shook his head and pushed himself off the railing, so that his body was facing Ikuta.

"No, I feel fine. I just wanted to watch the town disappear. Hopefully I'll never go back," Hisui answered, his voice drifting off for the last few words. He turned his head back towards where the town was. Just thinking about returning to that place made Hisui feel as if he had sank into an ice bath. He shuddered at the thought, hoping Ikuta hadn't noticed. Hisui didn't want the man to think he was weak. After all, he had gotten himself captured almost immediately after Ikuta had rescued him. If Hisui was too much work for Ikuta, there was really nothing stopping him from keeping Hisui on the boat. Ikuta smiled, reaching out and running his hand through Hisui's hair. Hisui let out a squawk and tried to duck out from underneath the hand. Ikuta laughed and let his hand drop, tugging a strand that had come out of the rubber band.

"Yeah, I don't plan on ever going back. Though I wouldn't mind destroying a bit more of that mansion. Who needs that much space?" Just like that, Hisui relaxed. Was it really possible for anyone to make him feel this at ease? Hisui didn't want to argue with logic though. It was probably unhealthy to attach himself to another human this quickly; but Hisui didn't want to think about that either. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy this feeling of safety and freedom. Besides, Ikuta and the crew looked at Hisui like he was a person, not a possession. Surely they couldn't be that bad if they were already treating Hisui much better than anyone else ever had?

"Are we going to stop somewhere for food? I heard some of the other men talk about the fact that we were running low," Hisui asked. Ikuta flopped back against the railing of the deck and looked up at the sky. A gentle breeze began to caress Hisui's hair, blowing loose strands across his face.

"Yeah. There's an island around these parts. I don't think it's inhabited, but we should be able to pick up some fresh water and fruits there," Ikuta explained.

"Sounds like fun," Hisui said. He couldn't help but grin at the thought of seeing this new place. The first stop on his adventure. He wondered if it was pretty. It would be fun to poke around the island a bit, see if there was anything of interest. It would also be a chance to prove himself. Living a life of homelessness had led Hisui to be very skilled at picking out edible plants. If he showed himself to be useful in this regard, he would be treated much more like an equal and not just a pretty thing or an annoyance. He wanted to belong. He wanted friends.

oOoOoOo

A few hours later, the sun was high in the sky, beating down on the ship as it stopped a few distance from the island. Hisui had tried to get some sleep, but was so full of excitement that he merely dozed for a few minutes before hopping out of bed and pacing around the deck. In that time he had gotten to know a bit more about some of the other men on the ship. They all seemed nice, each with their own personalities and quirks. Though, Hisui didn't do very much in terms of helping. Everything was too heavy and he wasn't sure how to do things like tie the proper knots. She he mostly stayed out of the way, talking to some of the crewmembers as they continued about their jobs. Hisui spotted Ikuta talking to Dom and trotted over.

"Hey, Hisui, what's up?" Ikuta asked as Dom walked away, shouting something to the men about getting ready to go ashore.

"I was wondering if I could come with you to the shore," Hisui said. He was practically bouncing from excitement. Ikuta looked at him, studying his face. Hisui dreaded hearing that he wasn't allowed, that it was too dangerous. He knew that he wasn't very strong, or good at defending himself. But Ikuta had said this island was uninhabited. Surely it couldn't be that dangerous? Ikuta groaned and ran a hand over his face.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt," he sighed.

"Yes!" Hisui cheered, jumping up in the air. "Thank you, Ikuta!" Ikuta waved at him halfheartedly.

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't use those puppy eyes often. They're a weapon and I don't like being taken advantage of," he said. Hisui stopped cheering, confused as too what Ikuta meant. Did he take advantage of Ikuta? He didn't think he did anything to earn Ikuta's wrath.

"What do you mean?" Hisui asked, tilting his head to the side. Ikuta shook his head and ran his hand through Hisui's hair.

"Nothing. I was just making an observation," he said, smiling at Hisui. Hisui beamed back at Ikuta. Now that he was going to actually visit the island, he was more excited than ever.

About thirty minutes later, Hisui was in a rowboat with Jean, Ikuta, Wood, and some other members of the crew. Closer to shore, he could see the reefs teaming with life below. Wood and he continued to peek over the edge of the boat, pointing out cool looking fish to one another. Jean even joined in a little while later. The rowboats nudged the shore gently, coming to a smooth stop. Hisui hopped out of the boat and set off towards the woods. He wondered if there were any mango trees he could pick fruit off of. It was mango season after all.

"Hisui!" Ikuta called. Hisui stopped and turned around. Was there a problem? "Don't go running off here. You could get lost in the jungle. It's dangerous. Just stay on the beach." Hisui frowned and sighed. Alright, maybe there wasn't as much freedom as he had originally hoped. But maybe Ikuta could be convinced that Hisui wasn't a danger to himself. If Hisui showed himself to be worthy of Ikuta's respect, then maybe he would be allowed more freedom.

Hisui began walking a little sullenly down the coast, making sure he could still hear Ikuta and the others as he went. He took off his shoes and felt the sand between his toes, kicking it as he continued along. He saw the ship bobbing innocently in the ocean. Even from this distance it looked inviting. Hisui turned his head and stared into the forest. It was only about 100 feet from where he stood. Surely a quick peek wouldn't hurt?

But, there was something about the way it stood there, almost a perfect boundary drawn between the beach and trees. The trunks were thick. So thick that they twisted with one another, forming twisted and deformed trunks. It was also dark. SO dark that Hisui couldn't see past the first row of trees. And, there was an uncomfortable silence about the forest. It was the kind of silence that seemed to just swallow everything up, make it so that your voice got lost in the void. Hisui was frozen, stuck to the ground, looking at this opaque forest. It was calling to him, beckoning him to enter. Hisui turned so that his body was facing the jungle before. Surely just a step inside wouldn't hurt? Something hit the sand with a soft 'thump'.

Hisui jumped, taken out of the trance of the forest. He looked around, trying to see what had caused the noise. He heard Jean shouting about something back where the boats were docked. Hisui blinked a few times, coming back to his senses. It was then that he saw a piece of metal, glinting in the sand. He stepped towards the object, looking to see if anyone was round. He didn't see or hear anything, other than the crew. Hisui squatted down and picked up a bracelet.

"Where did this come from?" Hisui muttered to himself. He stood up and looked around. Hanging on a tree was a strip of cloth. Hisui walked over and picked it up. He peeked around a tree and gasped as he realized what lay just within the forest.

"Hello?" he called out, stepping into what appeared to be a makeshift camp. A tarp was draped between the trees, a fire pit set up off to the side. There looked to be a small bed of leaves under the tarp. Hisui crept in a little more, looking around for the man or woman who lived here. He wondered if he should go get Ikuta. This person probably had friends or family that they needed to return to. They could help take them back. Hisui turned and gave a shout as a big, meaty hand yanked his arm back, swinging him around so that he was pressed against the person who probably made this camp. The hand that had yanked him back quickly moved so that it was now pressing a knife to Hisui's throat.

"Let go of me!" Hisui shouted, trying to not get cut by the knife. He was about to protest some more when another hand covered his mouth. Hisui's eyes watered as the stench penetrated in his noise, burning it and causing him to gag. Hisui continued to struggle fruitlessly, praying that Ikuta had heard him shout and was coming now. Great, he was in danger again.

oOoOoOo

Ikuta grimaced as he watched Hisui's white head of hair disappear around the bend of the beach. He hoped the child wouldn't try to go into the jungle. Something told Ikuta that something would catch the kid's eye and he would go chasing after it. Ikuta didn't really want to waste more time than necessary looking for the boy. He didn't regret his decision to take Hisui with him. It felt like he had something worth protecting for the first time in a long time. But, Ikuta was worried that something would happen to Hisui that he wouldn't be able to stop. He warned to boy about the dangers of traveling with a group of pirates. But, Hisui still decided to be with Ikuta. That thought made Ikuta's heart swell with both pride and fear. Someone trusted him so much once again. But if Ikuta ever let down that trust, he would never forgive himself. He still hadn't gotten over Lisa.

Ikuta pushed the thought out of his head. He didn't need to dig that up again. He had to focus on getting some fresh fruits and water for the boat until they got to a bigger port. Besides, this time would be different. This time, he would keep Hisui safe

Just as he had this thought, Ikuta heard a scream.

"What was that?" Jean asked.

"Let go of me!" the voice shouted again. This time, it was slightly muffled. Ikuta's eyes widened as he realized who was probably making the sound. He felt his heart stop as scenarios began to play out in his head. Hisui was in danger. Hisui was already in danger. He was the worst guardian in the world. But he couldn't dwell on that for long. There was still a chance to save the boy. He couldn't fail him. He wouldn't fail him.

"Sounded like Hisui, come on," Ikuta commanded. The group ran through the direction Hisui's voice had come from. Ikuta hoped that he wasn't too late. He hoped that Hisui was still relatively safe. Hopefully, it was just a rabbit that startled him.

Ikuta skidded to a halt outside of the camp. His eyes fell on Hisui. But Hisui wasn't alone. Instead, there was a man behind him. A giant and imposing man. And this man was holding a dagger to Hisui's throat.


	2. Chapter 2

It was situations like this that dragged up all of Ikuta's fears. His fears of not being able to protect the ones he loved. The fears of not being good enough. The fears of once again losing what he held dear to him. That dagger, pressed to Hisui's throat causing little droplets of blood to run down his neck, staining his shirt red, glinted at Ikuta. It was mocking him, showing off its gleaming blade, glittering in the sun. The man behind Hisui shifted once again. He had hunched over so that his face was partially hidden by Hisui's head. The hand that wasn't holding onto the dagger was clutching onto Hisui's shoulder, a silent gesture for Hisui. It's message loud and clear. ~Do not move.~

Hisui, surprisingly, seemed more confused with the turn of events rather than afraid. His already large eyes seemed to have widened even more. One hand was loosely wrapped around the wrist with the dagger in it. The other one didn't seem to know what to do as it stayed by Hisui's side, twitching as if it wanted to take action but couldn't. Ikuta tightened his grip on his sword, his jaw clenching with anger and frustration. He needed to get Hisui out of there.

"One more step and I'll slit his throat," the man growled. His voice was gravely and almost weak. It barely broke a whisper but it seemed as if the man had put all his strength into saying those few words. Hisui's eyes widened, seeming to have grasped his situation once those words were uttered. Ikuta took a few deep breaths, trying not to lash out. He released his grip on the sword and straightened up. The man jerked back when Ikuta made these movements. Hisui let out a squeak as he was jerked back with the man. Ikuta tried not to pay this too much attention. Right now, just getting Hisui out of this situation was his only goal. He continued to move slowly, raising his hands, looking the man straight on. He hadn't even had the kid for a week and already Hisui was in danger. Ikuta should have protected the kid better. And now he was being frightened, attacked by someone he had never met. Ikuta would make this up to Hisui. He wouldn't let him regret staying on the ship.

"We mean you no harm. Just let Hisui go," Ikuta said gently but firmly. The man sucked in a breath. Ikuta was about to ask what had happened when the man straightened up. He was taller than Ikuta, towering over Hisui in every way. The dagger fell from his hand, landing with a soft thump on the damp sand. The other hand stayed put, gripping onto Hisui's shoulder and probably bruising. The man stepped out from the shadows, dragging Hisui with him. As he continued to step forward slowly, his face was revealing.

"Ikuta?" he asked, his face finally coming into full view. Ikuta lowered his hands and stared at the man for a second. The face that was in front of him was a face he never thought he would see again. It was impossible. He couldn't be standing here in front of Ikuta.

"It can't be," Ikuta gasped. He stumbled back as the weight of the situation hit him. He began laughing, running a hand through his hair. The other pirates were whispering among themselves, all trying to see if the image in front of them was real or not. "I thought you were dead!" Ikuta cried. The hand that was still on Hisui's shoulder let go. Hisui took this chance to stumble to the side, out of the reach of a man who had held a knife to his throat. Though, Ikuta seemed to have forgotten about that bit as he ran up to the man.

"I'm not dead. I've been waiting for you. Took ya long enough," the man said, laughing like Ikuta has said the funniest joke in the world.

"I can't believe it! Theo!" Jean cried, running up to hug the man. The man, Theo, lifted Jean up, laughing all the while. Hisui ducked behind Ikuta and peaked out from behind him. They were acting strange. It was as if the hostage situation hadn't happened at all. The rest of the crew had surrounded "Theo" and were all smiling and laughing.

"Ikuta, who is he?" Hisui whispered. One of his hands was gripping Ikuta's shirt, causing it to wrinkle again. Hisui didn't care. He just wanted to get as far away from this man as possible. There was something off about him. Before he could bring up this fear to Ikuta, the man pushed him out in front and laughed.

"You don't have to be scared, Hisui. This is Theo. He used to work on the ship with us," Ikuta said, smiling down at Hisui.

"I was the only one who could carry everyone back when they were drunk," Theo said, laughing loudly. Hisui nodded, but his body seemed incapable of relaxing.

~Everyone else likes him. He is a fine person. They wouldn't be friends with someone evil,~ Hisui thought to himself. Despite repeating this several times, he still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. His eyes weren't warm and he wasn't looking at anyone. He was focused on them, but like a hunter focusing on his prey. Hisui couldn't help but image that Theo was picturing what everyone would look like after he had mangled their bodies, hurting them for his own pleasure. ~He held a knife to your throat. Of course you're going to be a little scared of him,~ Hisui thought to himself once again. That was it. That was the reason he was so afraid. Theo had held a knife to Hisui's throat, probably in self-defense, and now Hisui was scared. He was sure these bad feeling that made his stomach twist would go away as soon as he got to know Theo. Theo laughed and took a step towards Hisui and Ikuta. Hisui squeaked and went to duck behind Ikuta again. Alright, it was going to take a bit longer than two minutes for Hisui to get over the knife incident.

"Hisui, don't be rude. He's not going to hurt you," Jean sighed, looking thoroughly annoyed with Hisui's antics.  
"Sorry," Hisui said shakily, once again stepping out from behind Ikuta. Ikuta helped him with a gentle push in Theo's direction. Hisui stumbled but kept his footing. Theo smiled at him. No man should be able to show that much teeth. Hisui pushed down his fears and held out a hand. Theo stared at the appendage for a few seconds before grasping it firmly and shaking it. Hisui didn't like how Theo's hands seemed to envelop his own. Or how they closed around his wrist as well.

"Don't be. I really didn't mean to scare you. It's just that, lately there have been some people who have been attacking me. I thought you might be one of them. I didn't even recognize the ship. It's looking good," Theo said running a hand through his hair. Ikuta smiled and stepped towards Theo.

"Yeah. We've gotten a pretty good haul these past few months. We were able to make lots of repairs on the ship," he said. Theo didn't let go of Hisui's hand. Hisui was about to say something, wondering if it would be rude to ask Theo to give him his hand back. Theo looked down at Hisui, flashed another toothy smile, and let go of Hisui's hand, walking so he was standing next to Ikuta. They began talking about the ship and various repairs it had gone through. Hisui took this chance to stand back and observe the situation a bit better.

Ikuta and Theo seemed to have hit it off immediately. Then again, weren't they friends before? It was perfectly normal for Ikuta to want to catch up with an old friend. And Hisui wasn't feeling jealous at all. No he was not. Over the past few months, Hisui had gotten used to being the center of attention. He had wanted to live a normal life and be a normal kid. Normal kids sometimes got pushed aside in favor of old friends. At least, Hisui thought that happened often. He shouldn't be complaining so much. Ikuta had rescued him, let him stay on the boat, and didn't treat him like a possession. Now that Ikuta was moving on, Hisui had no right to complain. This is what he wanted. He wanted to be treated like everyone else.

Deciding that he shouldn't really impede on the reconciliation with the crew and Theo, Hisui left. He walked back towards the beach, kicking rocks out of the way as he went back towards the rowboats.

"Wait," Hisui said, realizing something was off about Theo's story. "If he didn't want to be discovered, why did he have a camp in such an obvious place? And why leave the bracelet out on the beach where anyone would have found it?" Hisui wondered aloud. He shook his head and sank down next to the boat. He watched tiny crabs scuttling back and forth across the sand, snapping their claws at each other. Hisui giggled at the tiny animals and wondered what they were saying to one another. He was reading too much into the situation. Maybe Theo had been attacked only once and didn't have time to move his camp further inland. Maybe Hisui really had startled him. Hisui was just feeling jealous. He wasn't the center of attention and now he was lashing out at a perfectly nice man. Theo was just startled. That's why he held a dagger to Hisui's throat.

Hisui picked up a shell out of the sand. It was rather pretty and sparkled in the sun. A soft pink color blending in with the whites, twirling to create a beautiful shape. This is what he had always wanted. And he was not going to complain about being treated like a normal person.

"I can still be useful and respected," Hisui said out loud. He looked around to ensure no one was there to hear him. Once satisfied that the others were still catching up with an old friend, he turned back to the crabs. "I always wanted to be treated like everyone else. Maybe this is my chance to be normal. If Ikuta treats me like the rest of the crew, then I will get my wish," Hisui finished. He smiled at the thought. There was something worth wanting about the idea that he would not be treated as a precious treasure. Then again, that also meant that Hisui would have to work harder if he was hoping to gain the respect of the crew. Hisui's eyes began to water with tears. He didn't know if he could become useful fast enough. What if, now that Theo was here, Ikuta didn't need Hisui anymore. Ikuta said that he wouldn't sell Hisui, but there was still the chance that he could be persuaded by Theo into giving Hisui away. Hisui shook his head. Where were all these negative feelings towards Theo coming from?

Sure, the man held a knife to Hisui's throat, but that wasn't what made Hisui afraid. That didn't help, but it also wasn't the reason Hisui was afraid. It was the teeth, the eyes, the stature. There was something inhuman about Theo. Hisui looked back at the direction of Theo's tent. The sounds of laughter could still be heard.

"They must be having a really good time with their friend," Hisui sighed. No, this wasn't how his life was going to be, hiding away, all alone. Hisui decided a long time ago that he didn't want to ever be alone, unable to let people close to him for fear of what they might do. He stood up and brushed the sand off his pants. He would make friends with Theo and become just as close to the man as the rest of the crew. Hisui would also become a hard worker and do whatever it took to keep him on the ship. Hisui had gotten comfortable in his cage. He just expected everything to be handed to him, save his freedom. Now, now he had to actually work. Now, he had to make himself useful. Hisui smiled and trotted off towards Theo's camp.

Hisui jogged to find all the men sitting comfortably on the ground. Ikuta turned and smiled at Hisui.

"Hisui, I didn't even know you left," he said with a smile. Hisui tried not to let the comment sting him and instead went to sit next to Wood and Jean.

"I thought it would be best to give you some privacy while you caught up," Hisui said quietly. There was no need to alert Ikuta to the fact that he felt left out. Hisui was being overdramatic. Ikuta was a good man and had every right to be friends with whoever he deemed worthy. He felt a pair of arms wrap around him and pull him close to a body. Hisui froze for a second, recognizing the smell, rotting and rancid flesh, it was Theo. He let out a loud laugh. It sounded fake and unrealistic to Hisui's ears. Then again, he didn't know the man before. Maybe this is how all his laughs sounded.

"Well, kiddo," Hisui scowled at the nickname. "I think we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other later," Theo said. Hisui tried to turn around to look at Theo in the eyes, but Theo wasn't letting up. His arms tightened around his shoulders, keeping Hisui from moving. Hisui's heart began to pound. He felt trapped. Theo's breath making him sick as he tried not to panic.

~This is just your jealousy again,~ Hisui scolded. ~Just put up with it.~ Hisui let out a shaky laugh, trying not to show how uncomfortable he was with the situation.

"What do you mean?" he asked nervously. Theo laughed and began running a hand through Hisui's hair. Hisui couldn't help but wince as Theo tugged roughly on the strands. He wasn't like Ikuta at all. Ikuta had never hurt Hisui. And now this man had managed to cause Hisui pain twice in under an hour.

~It's just your jealousy,~ Hisui told himself again. Theo probably didn't know his own strength. That's why he was hurting Hisui. He didn't know any better.

"I'm going back to the ship with you," Theo said cheerfully.

"What!" Hisui couldn't help but let out the exclamation.

"Hisui, stop treating Theo like an enemy. He's not going to hurt you," Ikuta snapped. Hisui jumped at the harshness of Ikuta's voice.

"I'm sorry," he stammered. "It would be a pleasure to get to know you, on the boat," Hisui said. Theo finally let go of Hisui. Hisui turned and gave him a shaky smile. Theo's eyes glinted once again with that predatory nature that made Hisui want to run and hide.

"I'm sure you'll love it," Theo said. Hisui pushed his bad thoughts away. Ikuta was the kind of person who could see through other's masks fairly easily. He was someone who knew right away if you could be trusted or not. Ikuta wouldn't be friends with someone evil or dangerous. Hisui was just overreacting. It was just a jealous monster rearing its head. Hisui couldn't help but feel upset by this. He had never thought himself vindictive. But here he was, judging a man he barely knew. It was petty and horrible of him. Hisui would suffer. He would suffer the uncomfortable touches and weird looks. Perhaps he was just overreacting. After all, Ikuta would never be friends with someone who was evil.


	3. Chapter 3

**So, I just finished writing this and have some scenes, which may trigger you. I will make it clear before each chapter if there is anything that could trigger you as well as what the triggers are. They may not be that bad, but I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable or be triggered in any way. For this chapter there is some nonconsensual touching but it's not graphic or violent. If you don't want to read this I will have a short summary at the end. I hope this is enough for everyone and I have also changed the tags to reflect this. Thank you for being cautious and reading my works!**

Hisui was exhausted. He continued to try and run fresh fruits and water back to the boats. The key word here being run. Ever since Ikuta had announced Theo was going back with them, the crew began to stock up. Hisui tried to keep up with them. He tried to work as hard as everyone else was working. But he wasn't used to this much physical exertion. He was used to sitting in a tiny cage, pacing to try and hold off the boredom. This was showing in the sheer lack of physical strength Hisui possessed. Already his arms were hurting and his hands were blistered. Each basket seemed to weigh more than the last.

The only good thing that seemed to come out of this was the fact that Theo was taking most of the stuff to the boat. He carried three, four, sometimes even five baskets at a time. The men cheered as Theo boasted loudly about how he could take another, if the others were too weak to handle it. This earned a loud round of laughter from all the men. Hisui wasn't entirely sure what was so funny about the comment. He thought it sounded more insulting. Especially with the way Theo let the words slide out of him mouth, dripping like saliva into the sand. Hisui cringed at the thought. Why was it so easy to picture Theo as a rabid dog?

"Ah!" Hisui cried as his foot caught a rock and sent him sprawling over the ground. The pot of water he had been carrying crashed over him, soaking him to the bone. Hisui winced while he pushed himself up. The sand dug into the blisters that now decorated his palms. Just as he felt his arms start to give out, a hand grabbed his collar and yanked him to his feet. Hisui choked as the cloth from his shirt pressed against his throat, trying to gasp for air.

"Oops, sorry kiddo. I guess I don't know my own strength." Theo laughed. Hisui gained his footing and began to massage his neck.

"It's okay. I'm just clumsy," he said, his voice sounding weak even to his ears. A basket was shoved into his hands.

"Just, take this over to the boats and let us take care of the other supplies. We really can't waste time getting more water every time you spill it," Ikuta groaned. Hisui nodded and took the fruit. He didn't leave though. Theo's hand was still gripping onto his collar.

"Aw, don't be so hard on the kid. He doesn't have muscles like you or I. A few weeks should help with that," Theo laughed. His hand released the collar, but before Hisui could escape, Theo's hand began running along Hisui's back. Hisui jerked back at the unexpected and unwelcome touch. The fruit would have gone all over the place had Jean not grabbed onto his arm at the last second, steadying Hisui.

"Seriously, what's up with you? You'd think you were afraid of Theo or something," Jean snorted. Hisui wanted to scream that he was. He wanted to tell Jean and everyone else just how afraid he was. But his heart was pounding in his chest, making it difficult for him to form any words. He didn't want to cause trouble.

"I'm just really ticklish," he finally manage to squeak. Jean's face broke into a smile.

"Now that I know that, I can have some fun," he said. He wiggled his fingers threateningly at Hisui. He let out a rather undignified squawk and trotted to the boats. Ikuta and Theo were laughing next to Jean.

"Yeah," Theo said, smiling at Hisui, "I'm sure I will have a lot of fun with this information as well." Hisui's smile dropped. When it was Jean and Ikuta talking about touching Hisui, he never minded. But with Theo, it made chills run up his spine, spreading throughout his body. Hisui gave a nervous laugh and stood by the boats, helping to steady them as the supplies was load up.

He had to keep reminding himself not to say anything bad about Theo, or do anything that would make the others suspect how much he was afraid of the man. But each time Theo was near Hisui, there was a hand on his back, pulling his hair, rubbing his neck. There was always a hot, rancid breath in his ear, making Hisui want to gag. And each time he would work hard not to shake with fear. Each time Hisui would try his hardest not to show any emotion other than happiness. That was easier said than done.

Once all the boats were stocked, they pushed off and rowed back to the main ship. Hisui, thankfully, was next to Jean and Yassen, who were talking about a bar they loved that was near here. Theo was in another boat, rowing behind them. Hisui almost forgot all about his unease. Sitting next to Jean and Yassen telling wild stories was relaxing and Hisui enjoyed their company. But he could feel eyes on his back. The men burst out laughing as Jean recounted having a young woman slap him after he asked her if she wanted to see his spectacular swordsmanship. Hisui glanced behind him. He saw Theo was not laughing. He was smiling, but he wasn't paying attention to the story. His eyes were completely focused on Hisui. Hisui turned around quickly. He hoped no one had noticed that he was staring at Theo, that he was afraid of Theo. The laughter died down and Jean continued his story. But for the remainder of the journey, all Hisui could feel were those eyes piercing into his soul, seeing every fear and every secret that Hisui held in his heart.

The boats nudged the side of the ship gently and a ladder was dropped from above.

"Nobody tell Dom. I want to see his face when he sees who we have," Jean snickered. Everyone nodded their understanding and Hisui began making his way up the ladder, trying not to be slow. His blisters burned each time they rubbed against the rope. But he just gritted his teeth and continued to climb. Once at the top, he stumbled over the edge. Dom caught him and helped him regain his balance.

"What are they all giggling about down there?" he asked. Before Hisui could answer, he saw Dom's eyes widen.

"Surprise!" Theo cried. Hisui turned to see Theo's arms stretched wide.

"Is that who I think it is?" he gasped. Theo ran up to Dom and wrapped him in a bear hug. Hisui couldn't help but relax a bit, smiling at the scene. Dom was laughing widely, his face bright and joy radiating through his eyes. Theo was also laughing, hunched over to properly hug Dom. His laugh sounded so…sincere. Hisui felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Ikuta smiling down at him.

"He really isn't a bad guy, Hisui. I know you've been comparing yourself to Theo. But you don't need to do that. You're not the same as him. The crew doesn't expect you to be as strong as he is. Just do your best and it will all work out," Ikuta said. He was smiling softly, causing Hisui to relax even more.

"I'm just not used to having people be so affectionate with me. I haven't ever really been touched before, so I've just been trying to figure out what is okay and what isn't," Hisui admitted. Ikuta tugged softly on his hair.

"Talk to Theo, then. He's always been pretty affectionate. But if you explain the situation to him, then I'm sure he'll understand." Hisui nodded and allowed himself to enjoy the reunion a bit more. On the island, Theo wasn't home yet. Of course he would be awkward there. And as for the breath, he probably hadn't brushed his teeth in awhile. But now that he was on the ship, Hisui could see him start to relax, like he had finally gotten what he was wanted after so long. It was nice to see that. Hopefully one day Hisui would have the same reaction whenever he set foot on this ship. A place where he belonged.

"Dom, old friend, I can't believe you're still here." Theo laughed. It was a laugh that came deep within his chest. Hisui smiled at the sight, only to have Theo's eyes catch his. In that small instant of time, when their eyes were linked, Hisui's breath was taken away, and not in a good way. Though they only stared at each other for a moment, it seemed like an eternity for Hisui. All at once the uncomfortable feelings of fear made their way back into Hisui's mind. These emotions were so deeply ingrained in Hisui's psyche that he doubted there was nothing anyone could do or say to make him trust Theo.

Theo's smile turned into a smirk and he turned back towards Dom. No one but Hisui had realized that Theo's eyes were dead. They weren't full of life. And that thought made Hisui feel more alone than ever.

"Theo, you're alive! We thought you were dead. How are you here?" Dom said, barely keeping the joy out of his voice. Theo laughed some more. It was starting to grate on Hisui's nerves. Not everything you said needed to be accompanied by a laugh. What was worse was the fact that everyone seemed happy to laugh along with them. They were children. When Theo laughed they assumed they should laugh.

Hisui decided to try and figure out what had happened between everyone. Why was Theo on the island? Why did everyone think he was dead? Something had to have happened and Hisui wanted answers.

"Um, excuse me," Hisui said timidly. Dom and Theo turned to look at him. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened? Everyone seems so surprised that you're alive." Hisui said. His eyes met Theo's once more. The man bared his teeth at Hisui, a sparkle igniting in his eyes. Hisui's mind screamed for him to turn away, for him to run away. But Hisui kept his focus on Theo, staring at him. Letting him know that Hisui didn't trust him; that he never would.

"Well," Dom started, stroking his chin. Ikuta went to stand next to the small group. "It was a few years back, Ikuta was just getting the crew together," Dom started.

"Oh, those were grand times. Remember how we got this ship?" Theo asked, turning towards Ikuta. Ikuta laughed some more with Theo. Hisui gritted his teeth and bit his tongue. He wouldn't let them know how much this annoyed him. He wanted answers, not a bunch of giggling.

"I wonder if that nobleman ever figured out you weren't a royal advisor." Ikuta laughed. Dom waved his hand at the pair, silencing them.

"We can tell Hisui about that later. Right now, the main story. Anyways, a few years ago, Ikuta was just putting the crew together. Theo here was the first mate," Dom said.

"Wait, Theo was and not you?" Hisui asked, surprised. He thought that Dom had been the first mate before Ikuta even had the need for a first mate. No one else would have fit the role. Theo looked slightly taken aback by this piece of news. His brow furrowed. His eyes darkened.

"You're the first mate now?" he asked. Hisui didn't know if the bitterness that was laced in Theo's voice was the result of his mistrust or because Theo actually was bitter towards the thought.

"Yeah. He was the only person after you that I felt comfortable in this position," Ikuta explained. He was looking out onto the horizon, not noticing the change in Theo's face. Dom had his eyes closed and was shaking his head with an air of sadness. Hisui felt a pang of guilt for not being more supportive towards their loss. But Theo's eyes were there to remind Hisui why he didn't trust this man. Hisui flinched as Theo clamped a hand on his head. His fingers continued to pull roughly on Hisui's hair. Theo smirked at him once more. But, of course, Ikuta and Dom were none the wiser.

"Well, Theo and Ikuta were trying to make it to a nearby island, but a storm hit," Dom said sadly. "It was bad, masts breaking, sails tearing, men being thrown overboard. By the time it was finished, this place was a mess," Dom sighed. Ikuta lowered his eyes.

"More importantly, Theo was missing," he said quietly. Hisui felt his heart pang with sadness. Ikuta was so kind to everyone he met. Maybe the loss of his friend hit him hard. Hisui understood why he seemed so upset by Hisui's unwillingness to trust the man. He was still coping with the loss of him. Theo patted Ikuta's shoulder comfortingly. Though, his hand never left Hisui's head. It had wound itself rather painfully in his hair, keeping Hisui from moving away, to a safer place.

"We searched for months, but in the end, we couldn't find you," Dom finished. Theo smiled. The smile was soft and comforting. But the eyes were alight with a new determination Hisui had yet to see with the man.

"That's alright. I wouldn't expect you to mourn over an insignificant person such as myself," Theo said. Hisui looked at him to see another dark flash of jealousy flit through his eyes. Hisui didn't know much about this man, but this feeling in his gut wouldn't go away. There was something very wrong here. Perhaps it would be a good idea for someone who wasn't close to Theo keep an eye on him. He seemed rather bitter over the whole situation.

"Besides," Theo said, snapping back to his old personality. "You found something much more precious," he said, pulling on Hisui's hair. His hands now removed from his head, Hisui managed to jerk away.

"I have to do the laundry, now that we have fresh water," Hisui said with a smile. "You three should keep catching up," he finished, walking away. He was anxious to get as far away from Theo as possible. He ducked below deck, but not before turning to see Theo and the others laughing some more. Theo caught Hisui's eyes once more. They glinted with hatred, jealousy, and determination. Hisui quickly scampered below deck, trying to figure out what he should do about the situation.

oOoOoOo

Washing the clothes alone left Hisui time to work through his thoughts. He was suspicious of Theo. He didn't like how he was constantly touching him. He didn't like how his words never seemed to match his eyes. He hated how the way he spoke sounded like the embodiment of a snake slithering through the grass. Theo scared Hisui. The problem was that Ikuta and the others didn't seem to see this. They seemed to be unwilling or unable to look past Theo's presence to see something was really wrong with the man.

But, Hisui decided, now that Theo had been here a few hours, maybe his charm started to wear off. Now that Ikuta was more used to him on the ship, maybe Hisui could show him something wasn't right with Theo. He had changed since Ikuta had last seen him.

It was this thought that carried Hisui to Ikuta's cabin. He was standing nervously outside, his hands sweating.

"I'm am just going to have a civilized conversation with a man I barely know about a long lost friend not being the same person. How badly can this go?" Hisui asked himself. He raised his hand and knocked his knuckles against the door. He hoped Ikuta didn't answer. Maybe he was asleep. Sadly, that was not the case.

"Come in," Ikuta said. He sounded so happy. It broke Hisui's heart. Hisui pushed his way inside and looked around the cabin. It must have shown on his face because in an instant Ikuta was out of his chair and by his side.

"Hisui, what's wrong?" Ikuta asked, running his hand through Hisui's hair. Hisui noted that it didn't hurt like when Theo did it.

"Ikuta, is Theo really the same as when you sailed together all those years ago?" Hisui asked cautiously. Ikuta pulled his hand away from Hisui and looked at him questioningly.

"Yeah, why?" he asked.

"It's just, sometimes people change and he was alone on that island for so long," Hisui said.

"What are you getting at?"

"I just think that maybe we should be careful about how much freedom he's given. At least for the time being," Hisui said. Ikuta sighed and sat down on the chair.

"Hisui, as much as I like your concern, it's misplaced. I have known Theo for a very long time. I don't expect you to understand, but I would know if something is wrong with him."

"I know, but you're also too close to him. Wouldn't that hinder your ability to see if anything is wrong?" Hisui asked. Ikuta leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Is this about him touching you?" Ikuta asked.

"Well, yeah," Hisui said. He was about to add some more of his suspicions, but Ikuta cut him off.

"Did you talk to him?" Hisui shifted from one foot to the other.

"Well, no," he said quietly. He didn't want to be alone with Theo for any length of time.

"So, you didn't even try to make things right with him? Hisui, I know you're not used to being around so many people who are close to one another, but you can't just expect me to side with you when you haven't done anything to try and fix the problem," Ikuta sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"But—"

"Hisui, I'm only going to say this once. Stop trying to pick a fight with Theo. He is my friend and I will not have you trying to come between us. For God's sake, I thought he was dead up until a few hours ago. Just, don't stick your head into something you don't understand," Ikuta said. Hisui was about to protest but then thought better of it. He looked down at the floor.

"I'm sorry. I guess I'm just not used to having friends. I won't cause any more problems," Hisui said quietly. Ikuta nodded.

"Good. Now, go make yourself useful," he said. Hisui squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block the tears, and made his way outside. He was hoping that Ikuta would see reason. But that wasn't going to happen. Hisui would just have to keep Ikuta and the rest of the crew safe on his own.

 **Summary: Basically Theo starts running his hand up and down Hisui's back and pulling roughly (but discretely) on Hisui's hair. He finds out that Dom is the first mate and Hisui suspects he is jealous over the whole thing. Hisui goes to talk to Ikuta and warn him about Theo but Ikuta won't listen, thinking that Hisui just isn't used to having someone be so affectionate with him.**


	4. Chapter 4

Hisui was cutting the potatoes with a little more force than what was necessary. He was pretending each one was Theo's stupid face and felt tremendous glee as he mashed and mangled them. Why did Theo have to show up? Why did Ikuta have to side against Hisui? Why did the entire crew not notice anything was amiss with this man? Hisui understood he was a new crewmember, but no one was willing to listen to his fears. Each time he so much as flinched, someone was there to shake his head and tell Hisui to relax. Well he couldn't relax! At least, not with that man here.

Hisui moved onto cutting up the meat while once again trying to convince himself that he was feeling nothing more than petty jealously. But why would he be jealous? No one had ever treated him like an equal before. Hell, in the village he was lucky to be treated with the same level of kindness the villagers had towards stray dogs. He should just be glad Ikuta treated him as an equal. Hisui set down the knife, staring at his blistered hands. Except, Ikuta didn't treat Hisui like an equal. If he did, he wouldn't have brushed off Hisui's concerns to easily. Hisui knew that if he just talked to Theo, then some of this would probably go away. But he didn't want to talk to Theo.

"He won't hurt me. At least, not physically," Hisui said to the room. Theo really wouldn't try to hurt Hisui. That would look too suspicious. And besides, so long as there was no evidence, Ikuta couldn't side with Hisui. It would just be his word against Theo's.

Hisui shook his head, feeling thoroughly disgusted with himself. He was already imagining all the horrible things Theo could do to him. He was picturing Theo as being some evil monster. Was he really so shallow that he couldn't handle a little competition. Hisui squeezed his eyes shut. Competition for what? Ikuta was not some prize to be won. He had already saved Hisui. He made him feel welcome and warm. It was horrible for Hisui to repay Ikuta by trash talking a man he barely knew and Ikuta cared for. He really was no better than those people who had sold him.

Hisui stared at his hands, tears beginning to fill his eyes. Ikuta risked his life and the lives of his men to rescue Hisui even after he had become a burden. Was Hisui really going to repay these men by starting trouble with a man they all loved? Hisui shook his head. He was going to be better than those people in his village. He was going to be the best crew member these guys could have asked for. A pair of arms circled Hisui's shoulders and he immediately tensed up.

"What's wrong, kitten?" Theo asked in Hisui's ear. Hisui shuddered as the hot air passed into it and over his cheek. Hisui didn't want to tell Theo all that he had been thinking. He needed to work on his selfishness.

"I was just thinking about my old village and how horrible it was," Hisui answered. Was it selfish to lie? Should he just tell the truth and deal with the consequences? Theo began pulling Hisui's hair once more. Hisui gasped in pain.

"You really are a cutie. No wonder Ikuta seems so protective over you," Theo said, chuckling in Hisui's ear. Hisui tried to wriggle out of Theo's grasp, but Theo held tight.

"I'm just here to do my job," Hisui said. He tried to pry Theo's hands off him but Theo tightened his grip.

"Aw, come on. Can't I get a hug?" Theo asked.

"I'm really uncomfortable being touched," Hisui said, taking Ikuta's advice and trying to talk with Theo about his feelings.

"But I like you so much. Your body is so tiny, kitten. I could hug you all day," Theo said. Hisui was trying not to panic now. There was no reason to panic. Theo was just hugging him. He was just hugging him.

"The meat will burn if I don't flip it soon," Hisui said, desperate for an excuse to escape from Theo's grasp.

"I don't think anyone will care. Besides, you haven't really been welcoming to me," Theo said. One of his hands began stroking Hisui's side and Hisui could feel some of Theo's saliva on his ear. Hisui tried to control his breathing. He tried to blame his feelings on stress and jealousy. But he was so scared right now; he just wanted someone to walk in and save him.

"Please let me go," Hisui whimpered. Theo chuckled once more before releasing Hisui. Hisui stumbled forward and turned to face Theo.

"By the way, kitten, Ikuta wanted to talk with you about something," Theo said. He picked up an apple and began cutting it. Hisui felt like he had swallowed a bucket of ice.

"What about?" he asked, his voice still a little shaky. Was Ikuta still mad about earlier? Did he want to punish Hisui for spreading lies? Theo shrugged and popped a piece of the apple in his mouth.

"Didn't say. He seemed upset though." Hisui could see the chunks of apple getting mashed around in Theo's mouth. He shrank back against the wall.

"I'll go talk to him. I have to serve dinner," Hisui said, stirring the meat once more before dumping it in a serving dish. Theo's hand was back in Hisui's hair.

"I'll take care of it. You just go." Theo replied. Hisui nodded and ducked out from underneath Theo's hand.

"Thank you. I'll be right back down," he said, speeding off to find Ikuta. ~It's just jealousy. Theo isn't a bad guy. You're just being petty and jealous.~ Hisui told himself over and over, trying to ignore the fear in his heart. He was being unfair to Theo and the rest of the crew. This silly feud was all his fault.

Hisui intended on going to apologize to Ikuta again and then running straight back down to serve dinner. He couldn't risk everyone thinking he was lazier than he already was. The only problem was that Ikuta was a lot harder to find. Hisui first went to his cabin, then the hull, then just wandered aimlessly on the deck of the ship. The more time that passed, the more Hisui began to worry what Ikuta's mood would be like once Hisui actually found him. Finally, after what felt like an hour, Hisui spotted Ikuta coming down from the crow's nest. For such a small ship, there sure were a lot of hiding places.

"Ikuta!" Hisui called. Ikuta waved at Hisui and hopped off the ropes.

"Yeah, kiddo?" he asked, running his hand through Hisui's hair briefly. Hisui was disappointed when Ikuta's hand dropped. He tried not to let this show.

"You wanted to talk with me?" Hisui asked. Ikuta stepped back and stared at Hisui.

"No, I didn't want to talk with you," he said. Hisui stared back at Ikuta. He was sure Theo had told Hisui that Ikuta wanted to see him. Why would Theo lie about something like this?

"Sorry, Theo must have gotten something mixed up," Hisui said quietly. Perhaps Ikuta had been talking to Theo about their earlier conversation and Theo mistook one of his words to mean he wanted to talk with Hisui again. Ikuta groaned and Hisui shifted his eyes down towards his feet. He couldn't even look at Ikuta right now.

"You can't always blame your mistakes on Theo," Ikuta said. Hisui tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He felt his eyes beginning to prick with tears once more.

"Oh, no. I'm not," Hisui said even softer than before. Ikuta sighed. Hisui glanced up to see him massaging his brow.

"Don't lie, Hisui. We might be pirates, but we need to be honest with each other if we're going to survive," Ikuta said. Hisui nodded.

"I understand. I'm sorry," he replied, his voice cracking on the last word.

"Good, now why don't you clean up the dishes," Ikuta said. He turned and walked away from Hisui. It was only then that Hisui managed to pull his head up. For a few seconds, he could only stare at Ikuta's retreating back. A cool breeze made Hisui shiver. He wrapped his arms around his torso and for the first time, realized the ship was so much bigger than he originally thought. He felt like he would get lost, and no one would come looking for him. He looked around. Everyone was so far away. His voice would get swallowed up by the emptiness if he tried to call out for help.

Hisui hunched in on himself even more and went back down to do what Ikuta had told him. He should have been paying more attention to his surroundings because he ran straight into Jean.

"Whoa, watch where you're going, kid," he teased.

"Sorry, I'll pay more attention," Hisui choked.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Jean asked, his voice filled with worry. Hisui kept his face down. He couldn't afford to be seen crying like a child.

"I just feel as though Ikuta hates me because I'm having a hard time trusting Theo," Hisui answered truthfully. Jean's hand, that had been placed on his shoulder, was quickly removed. ~Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. You shouldn't have said anything.~ Hisui cursed.

"What's not to trust? He's hardworking, loyal, respectful, kind," Jean listed. Hisui wracked his brain to try and come up with a way to get back on Jean's good side.

"I know. That's why I feel so bad. I guess the problem comes from the fact that I just don't know him as well as you guys do," he said.

"You barely know us. What makes Theo so different?" Jean all but spat at Hisui. Hisui felt the words pierce his core.

"Yeah. I suppose I barely know anyone, now that I think about it," he said quietly. "I'm sorry. I have work to do." Hisui pushed passed Jean. He didn't want to be here anymore. He didn't want to be on this boat, with these people. He just wanted to be alone. How could he have been so stupid as to think that these people would trust a kid they barely knew as opposed to a man they had known for several years? Hisui was an outsider, a stranger. He had no business expressing his opinion. He was lucky these people didn't want to sell him.

His stomach growled impatiently. Hisui was so confused by this entire situation. One minute these men were caring and kind. The next they were callous all because Hisui was afraid. And Theo, Theo was acting so differently when he was alone with Hisui. With the rest of the crew, he was loud and joking. With Hisui, he always towered over him. And then there were Hisui's own emotions. Was he really being petty? Or should he be afraid of Theo and the others?

Hisui hated these feelings. He shouldn't make trouble. He shouldn't draw attention to himself. He should just do as he was told and hope for the best.

Hisui went to grab some of the leftover food only to realize there was none left. Hisui's eyes widened and he whipped around, hoping for a morsel that he could eat. All the dirty dishes were piled on the table. It would take him over two hours to clean these. And he still had to finish taking in the laundry. He dug through the towers for the serving dish, hoping there were some scraps left. Nothing, not even a crumb.

"Sorry, kitten," Theo said. Hisui spun around to see him leaning against a beam, his face partially hidden by the shadows. His cheeks looked like they had sunken in and his eyes burned with hatred. Hisui swallowed and stared at him, trying not to show fear.

"Where's all the food? I didn't get any," Hisui said. Theo chuckled and stepped out.

"Sorry, but I thought you already ate," he said. Hisui stumbled back. He felt his back hit the table and some of the dishes clatter to the floor.

"You're lying, just like you lied about Ikuta wanting to see me," he accused. Theo reached out. "Don't touch me," Hisui growled. Theo just showed more of his teeth and started stroking Hisui's cheek.

"Sorry, kitten, but I don't think you did enough to deserve food tonight. After all, you have been spreading rumors about me," Theo said, still smiling.

"I haven't been spreading rumors about you. I've been telling people you scare me. That's not a rumor, that's the truth," Hisui said. Theo's hand stopped stroking Hisui's cheek and went to rest on his neck. He was squeezing ever so slightly.

"You've caught my eye, mermaid. Ever since I saw you on that beach, I wanted you. I am going to have so much fun. I have so much planned. Are you excited?" Theo asked.

"If you hurt me, I'll tell Ikuta," Hisui said. Theo threw back his head and laughed.

"Do you really think he'll believe you? He hasn't believed a word you've said. A few bruises won't convince him that I'm evil. I've been missing for God knows how long. Do you want to know how that will work to my advantage?" Theo said, leaning in closer to Hisui.

"How?" Hisui asked.

"Well, Ikuta has an idealized image of me in his head. When I disappeared, we had had an argument. I don't really remember about what, but words were exchanged and Ikuta and I were on some bad terms. Then, the storm came and I washed away. Now, all Ikuta can remember is that he failed me. He remembers that this was all his fault. And he wants to make things right. He'll refuse to believe anything you say because he won't want to make another mistake like last time. You're all alone, little kitten," Theo said. Hisui narrowed his eyes and kicked Theo's shin. Theo howled with pain before raising his hand and slapping Hisui. Hisui fell back against the table, knocking over the pile of dishes.

"Look's like this kitten has claws," Theo said, breathing heavily. There were some footsteps down the stairs. Theo quickly gripped Hisui's wrist and yanked him up.

"What happened?" Yassen said, bursting through the door with Jean and Dom.

"Hisui tripped over one of these dishes and I didn't catch him before he fell into the table," Theo said. Hisui wanted to scream that it wasn't true, but Theo squeezed his wrist even harder.

"Are you alright, Hisui?" Dom asked. Hisui nodded.

"Yeah, I'm just a bit shocked, that's all," Hisui said. Theo gripped his wrist even harder and Hisui could feel the bones starting to strain under the pressure.

"Well, be more careful next time," Yassen said and the three walked out the door. Hisui began clawing at Theo's hand trying to make it let go. Theo just yanked the appendage above Hisui's head and lifted him off the ground.

"Theo, stop, you're hurting me," Hisui cried. Theo placed a finger under Hisui's chin, forcing him to look at Theo's empty eyes.

"Listen, Hisui, I have this burning need inside me to hurt something. If you tell anyone about this, then I will take out my rage on Ikuta and the rest of the crew instead of you. Now you don't really want to be responsible for their pain?" Hisui's eyes widened.

"You wouldn't hurt them," he gasped. Theo put him down on the ground.

"I won't hurt them so long as you behave and do what I tell you. But Hisui, keep in mind that if you mess up, they will pay. Imagine how much they'll hate you when they discover that you were too weak and now they have to suffer. But, if you can withstand this, then no problems. Ikuta and the others will continue to live a life free of pain. Now, are you going to run up there and tell them the truth, cursing them to a life of hatred and suffering? Or will you behave like a good little kitten and do your chores without complaint?"

Theo's eyes were locked with Hisui's. Hisui desperately wanted to run and tell Ikuta what had happened. But he couldn't risk his life. If the crew hated him now because he was accusing Theo of being evil, then how much would they hate him when they were forced to live their lives in pain? Hisui shakily turned towards the table and began wiping down the dishes. He whimpered when Theo pressed a kiss to the back of his neck.

"There's a good boy. You and I will have so much fun together." Hisui heard Theo slam the door shut. Once he was sure no one was around, he sank to the floor and started sobbing. He pressed a hand to his mouth to try and muffle the sounds. ~Protect Ikuta. You have to protect Ikuta.~ he chanted to himself over and over again.


	5. Chapter 5

After that, Hisui's life continued to spiral downwards. He was stuck doing the mountains of dishes for well over two hours. When he finally did finish, he was met with looks of disapproval from the crew. He even heard a few mutter about how Theo could have done it in half the time.

Then he was doing the laundry, only to realize several of the crew members had tears in their clothes. So, instead of sleeping, Hisui was stuck mending piles of laundry while the rest of the crew relaxed and enjoyed their evening. His back was aching from hunching over for hours on end. His fingers were stiff from constantly doing such intricate work. His wrist was also aching from where Theo had grabbed it, making it difficult to work the needle and thread. And by the end of the night, his eyes were straining so much from working by candlelight that he could barely see straight.

When Hisui did finish the laundry, he did feel marginally better about the situation. Surely now the crew would know he was worth something. So Hisui folded the laundry, put it away, and trotted off to bed.

However, upon making it to his bed he discovered Theo had taken it. Hisui stumbled around, trying to find somewhere else to sleep. Fox had woken up and then proceeded to scold Hisui for making so much noise at night. Hisui apologized profusely and made his way back down to the hold. He spotted a sack of potatoes lying against the wall.

"Well, this will have to do. I've slept in more uncomfortable places," Hisui grumbled. He arranged the potatoes so they were pore comfortable to lie on and then plopped down. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the potato that was digging into his back. Only to be roughly shaken a few minutes later. Hisui jerked awake.

"What is it? What's going on?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. He heard that low chuckle that sent shivers down his spine.

"Well, kitten, it's almost dawn. Shouldn't you get breakfast started?" Theo said. Hisui glared at him.

"Why else are you down here?" Hisui snapped. Theo shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm just trying to be a Good Samaritan. Why are you so hostile towards me?" Theo said. He stuck out his bottom lip and looked at Hisui with pleading eyes. Hisui stood up.

"Because you threatened the crew and you hurt me. Now get out of my way. I have work to do," Hisui spat. He pushed Theo aside and began making his way up the stairs. He smiled as he heard Theo crashing to the ground. The smile didn't last long as Theo grabbed the back of Hisui's shirt and yanked him down.

Hisui cried out, though it wasn't heard since Theo clamped a hand over his mouth. Theo forced Hisui to the ground and stood up, only to bring a foot down on Hisui's chest. The air was pushed from Hisui's lungs and he lay on the ground, trying to take in more oxygen. With his foot Theo turned him over and delivered a hard kick to his lower back. Hisui continued to try and pant and breath normally. His lower back and chest were now screaming and he could already feel the bruises beginning to form.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Hisui managed to draw in a breath. He took a few shaky breaths before hunching over and coughing. He felt like he was about to vomit. Only there was nothing in his stomach to bring up. Theo's hand wrapped around his neck and yanked him up. Hisui felt the hands closing around his throat, once more cutting off his air supply. Theo snarled at Hisui and squeezed his neck harder. Hisui's vision was getting spotty and he could hear blood roaring in his ears.

"Never, do that to me again. You do not talk back to me. You do not try and hurt me. And you do not fight back. Do. I make. Myself. Clear?" Theo sneered.

Hisui nodded frantically. He didn't care what Theo did to him. He just wanted to breath again. Luckily, Theo's hand released and Hisui dropped in a heap on the floor. Hisui began coughing and gulping in air. Theo knelt down and wrapped something around Hisui's neck. Instinctively, Hisui lurched back.

"Relax, kitten. It's just a scarf. Don't take that off. I don't want the crew to admire my handiwork, yet," Theo said. "Remember, cook breakfast. Don't burn the sausage." He walked away laughing while Hisui's hand went to feel the scarf. He wanted to rip it off. He wanted to stay down here and hide. But Theo told him to do what he said. And Hisui didn't want to test the man any more than he already did.

Hisui composed himself as much as possible before standing once more. Even his legs were shaking. He had to use the wall to help him stand.

Hisui squeezed his eyes shut and reminded himself why he was doing this. It wasn't about him. It was about the others. If Hisui was the only one in danger, he wouldn't have a problem with showing Ikuta the bruises and the handprint. He wouldn't have a problem getting off at the next port and leaving this ship forever.

But the fact of the matter was that Hisui wasn't the only one in danger. Theo had threatened the entire crew. He had threatened to kill Ikuta. And Hisui didn't have anywhere to go. That was probably why Theo attacked him and not Jean or someone else. He was still a child. He didn't have a home or friends that he could run to for help. He was completely isolated, especially now that the entire crew had turned against him. He was an easy target. Hisui understood this. But that didn't mean he had to like it.

Hisui continued to prepare breakfast. His stomach was cramping really badly from not eating. Maybe he could sneak just a sausage before he fed the rest of the crew. Hisui picked up one from the pan that looked to be almost done. He was about to pop it in his mouth when he heard someone clear his throat. Hisui spun around to see James standing there with his arms crossed.

"What do you think you're doing?" James asked, towering over Hisui. Hisui shuffled back against the stove.

"I was—"

"I know what you were about to do. Grazing isn't fair to the rest of us, Hisui. You have to wait to eat, just like everybody else," James said. At least he wasn't insulting Hisui.

"I'm sorry. I was so hungry I thought one wouldn't hurt," Hisui said quietly. James shook his head.

"If everyone just ate one then there wouldn't be any left. Don't do it again," James said. He patted Hisui on the head and walked off. James was right. Hisui could wait until breakfast was served. It was only another ten minutes. He had gone longer without eating.

Of course Hisui should have known Theo would do something. He was just about to serve himself some food when Theo came up behind him.

"Hisui, I noticed some food seems to have started getting spoiled. Could you go check on it please?" Theo said. Hisui was surprised Theo wasn't batting his eyes.

"You haven't been checking the food to make sure it's not spoiled?" Dom cried.

"I didn't know I had to," Hisui said. Dom shook his head.

"Look, kid, you need to keep on top of these things. If one thing spoils than everything starts spoiling. Go check now," Dom said. Hisui nodded and went to the stores. He wanted to ask if he could at least eat. But right now he wasn't on very good terms with anyone. They could see him asking to eat as some sort of ploy to get out of the work.

Hisui dug around the food stores, painstakingly checking every piece of meat and every bit of fruit to ensure nothing was moldy or rotten. There were a few bruised fruits, but nothing spoiled.

Hisui cursed and tossed an orange across the room. Theo had lied to the entire crew about the food. And because he singled Hisui out, Hisui didn't get to eat lunch either. And he still had so much cleaning to do. He was going to die of starvation and exhaustion before Theo beat him to death. A familiar pair of arms wrapped themselves around Hisui.

"Did you find the spoiled food?" Theo asked, his breath ghosting over Hisui's ear. Hisui threw Theo's arms off and spun around.

"You lied about the food! Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to make me starve before you've had your fun?" Hisui cried. Theo's eyes turned from humor to rage in a matter of seconds and before Hisui comprehended what was happening, a hand was pressed to his mouth and he was shoved against a wall.

"I gave you three simple rules to follow. And you manage to break them. I'm trying not to kill you, boy. But you are making this really hard for me to control my temper!" Theo said. His eyes were blazing and burning into Hisui. Hisui contemplated biting Theo's hand, only to push that thought from his head. He couldn't fight back. He couldn't make himself an enemy. He couldn't put himself in more danger than he already was. The hand slipped from Hisui's mouth and moved to his shoulder, keeping him pinned against the wall.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again," Hisui said quietly.

"It better not. I will make this perfectly clear. From here on out, I own you. You are nothing more than something for my entertainment, and I will use you as I deem fit," Theo said. His eyes were joyful as he said these words. Hisui eyes widened. Those dreaded words had been spoken to him too many times. He didn't want a repeat of what had happened in the cage.

"Please, let me go. I promise I won't tell Ikuta anything," Hisui whimpered. Theo let him slide to the floor, only to kick Hisui roughly in the ribs. Hisui whimpered and curled up into a ball.

"Good. I think you'll make a good pet," he said with a smile. Hisui looked up and shivered at those cold eyes. He wanted to get away from Theo. The only problem was that he had nowhere else to go. And, he had no one else to tell.

oOoOoOo

The next few days went much the same way. Hisui barely ate and barely slept. The worst was not knowing just what would set Theo off. He didn't talk back to him and didn't provoke him. But that still wasn't enough. Theo would turn and hurt Hisui for the slightest indiscretions.

Hisui brushed up against Theo, his feet were knocked out from underneath him. Hisui didn't give Theo enough food, later that night Theo would yank out Hisui's hair.

Not only that, but Theo was constantly piling jobs on Hisui. They were often incredibly difficult and time consuming. So Hisui rarely got a break and was never able to catch up. That would just fuel the crew's dislike of Hisui.

They were constantly rolling their eyes at Hisui every time he timidly told them he hadn't managed to finish all his chores. And Theo was still perfect in their eyes, to make matters worse. Around the crew, Theo was kind, hardworking, and even insisted Dom keep his job as first mate.

Hisui was exhausted trying to please a ship full of people who hated him. He was always on the verge of crying. He wanted the pain to end. But there was no way to make it end. And that was probably the worst part of this entire experience. Hisui was stuck on this track with no way to escape.

oOoOoOo

Ikuta was staring at the same spot on the map for the past twenty minutes. There was something wrong on this ship. He could just feel it. But he couldn't figure out what it was. It was like there was an evil presence that was here, but Ikuta could never see it. No one was being mean or snappy to one another. No one seemed being darker than usual. No one was acting strange. This bothered Ikuta. If there was something evil on this ship, Ikuta needed to know so he could get rid of it.

A thought struck him. Something had changed on this ship: Hisui and Theo. This feeling of dread started around the time that they got on the ship. So, if there was something evil, then it probably had to do with one of those two.


	6. Chapter 6

**Warning: Theo hits Hisui with a belt. It's not in a lot of detail but there is some.**

Hisui squeezed his eyes shut and tried to suppress a whimper. He was reaching his breaking point. He could feel himself slipping away as the days went on. He had been hoping someone on this ship would notice just how sickly and weak Hisui was looking. He saw himself in the mirror. He saw the dark circles under his eyes, his sunken in cheeks. He saw his skin looking more waxy and brittle. He saw his blistered, scabby hands. He looked like death. But Hisui seemed to be the only one to think so.

The rest of the crew still seemed to think he was slacking off. Hisui had to hide in the hold more than once so he could cry out of frustration and pain. Why couldn't they see how much he was hurting? Why couldn't they see how much he was working? Of course, Theo probably had something to do with it.

It just wasn't fair! If Hisui wasn't allowed to spread "rumors" about Theo, then Theo shouldn't be allowed to spread rumors about Hisui. Then again Hisui was still just a stranger. And Theo was good at making him feel guilty.

Hisui paused his work. He was working on mending some ropes that had gotten frayed. Jean had begrudgingly taught Hisui how to do it before stomping off, muttering about uselessness. Hisui pretended he didn't hear that. His hands began to cramp. Several of his blisters were torn open once more and the cuts on his hand burned each time the rough cord slid over them. Hisui let out a groan and his hand slipped around his waist. He had lost a lot of weight. His limbs hadn't started swelling yet, but it this continued Hisui would last much longer.

Theo had been especially rough on him today. Something about not folding his clothes properly had led to him beating Hisui once more. This time the blows were focused on the back. Theo had used a belt on him, ripping through his shirt and skin. After the man had calmed down, he told Hisui to clean himself off and not let anyone see him. Hisui was getting really good at self-treatment. He couldn't reach some of the wounds on his back, but he had managed to clean most of it with salt water. He also managed to wrap the bandages fairly well also. Hopefully he wouldn't get an infection. He couldn't deal with that as well.

His shirt had been the biggest cause for concern. Once Hisui managed to peel it off his torso, he saw just how torn and bloody it was. If any of the crew stumbled upon it, they would figure out what Hisui was hiding. He didn't know how to get rid of it so he just stuffed it under some loose planks. He was pretty sure no one would look there.

His stomach growled impatiently, snapping Hisui back to his task. He hunched over once more, wincing as his injuries were stretched, and began mending once more.

"Maybe this has gone on long enough. I can't last much longer," Hisui said. He had started talking to himself again. He used to do it all the time in the village, since no one would talk to him. He stopped at the Governor's mansion; it was sort of a protest against his treatment.

"But how do I get out of this? If I tell Ikuta, Theo hurts him. If I leave the ship at the next port, Theo will still hurt him. If only I had proof," Hisui said. If he could show Ikuta one hundred percent that Theo was hurting him, Ikuta could gather the crew together and take out Theo. Surely all twenty of them would be able to take down one man.

Wait! He had proof. Before, the bruises could be attributed to Hisui simply falling and being clumsy. But with the handprint around his neck and the state of his back should be enough to convince Ikuta that Theo was evil. There was no way Theo would be able to explain away the bruises around Hisui's neck, or how his back had been torn to ribbons.

Hisui dropped the rope and stood up. He tore off his bandages, ready for Ikuta to look over the evidence. Ikuta would see the injuries, believe Hisui, and kick Theo off the boat! Then, the crew wouldn't be in danger and Hisui could finally get something to eat. Hisui was proud of his patience. Ignoring the pain and not giving up had allowed him to become stronger, and build a stronger case against Theo.

"I hope Ikuta isn't too hard on Theo. I just want him off the ship. I don't want him to get hurt," Hisui said. He adjusted his shirt and started hobbling towards the stairs. Theo had stomped on his foot yesterday and then tripped Hisui, twisting his ankle. But after tonight, Hisui wouldn't have to put up with that anymore. He could be free.

There weren't a lot of people out tonight. It was cold outside; the wind blowing quite strongly, so most people had already turned in. Hisui glanced around, checking to make sure Theo wasn't there. He spotted Jean, Dom, Ted, and James. They didn't seem to be paying any attention to Hisui.

He stumbled forward. The boat was rocking much more than usual, making it difficult not to fall and go rolling towards the rail. Hisui debated dropping to his hands and knees and crawling, but decided against it. When he talked with Ikuta, he was going to stand tall and strong. He already was the smallest and weakest one on the ship. The least he could do was to try and act respectable.

Another strong gust of wind had him staggering, barely able to stand on his own two feet. But Hisui pushed on. He started this and he would not back out now. He wrapped his arm around his stomach, trying to stay a little warm. The other arm reached up to knock.

Hisui could feel his heart bursting in his chest as he waited for Ikuta to answer. Maybe he should have brought some tea or something to soothe Ikuta before he told him his best friend was a horrible person. Hisui wasn't quite sure what the conventions of these things were. He took a few deep breaths. He could do this. He would not back out now. Finally, after what felt like an hour, Ikuta called him in. Hisui began to shake harder as he stumbled through the door.

To say Ikuta was surprised to see him was a bit of an understatement. He looked up from some maps on the table and stared at Hisui for a few seconds before finally speaking.

"What are you still doing up, Hisui? I thought you had already went to bed," Ikuta said. Hisui opened and closed his mouth. When had his tongue stopped working? And was it healthy for his heart to be beating so fast?

"I was mending some ropes," he said weakly. His mind became more muddled and his courage was slipping away. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Maybe he should just put up with Theo for a little longer.

"Thanks. It's always a pain to do that. What do you want?" Ikuta asked, turning back towards the map. He began writing notes down on a piece of paper. He didn't sound like he hated Hisui's guts. He should just go for it, rip it off like a Band-Aid.

Hisui took another deep breath and dropped his gaze. His hands began picking at the hem of his shirt. He just had to go for it. There was no turning back now.

"It's about Theo," Hisui said softly. He couldn't help but wince when Ikuta groaned. Hisui's eyes flicked up to see Ikuta running a hand through his hair. Maybe Hisui could lie and say how good Theo was. No, that wouldn't work, Ikuta would see straight through it. But that was okay. Hisui had expected this. Ikuta still hadn't seen the evidence. He was still on Theo's side. Once he saw the evidence, he would understand.

"For God's sake, Hisui, what has he ever done to you? Why are you so against him?" Ikuta snapped. Hisui jumped at the sharp tone of voice. He hadn't expected Ikuta to be quite that harsh. But he could do this. He could still protect Ikuta. Now that he started, he couldn't stop. He couldn't risk Theo taking his anger out any anyone else.

"You- you don't understand, Ikuta. He's not the same person. He's changed," Hisui said quietly. His eyes dropped down to his shoes. Ikuta looked livid. Would he hurt Hisui like Theo? Hisui began to shake once more.

"And how the hell would you know what he was like?" Ikuta said. His voice wasn't loud, but it still felt like he was shouting.

"Please, I'm telling the truth. You have to believe me," Hisui begged. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to stop from crying.

"If you're telling the truth, then look me in the eye and say it. I haven't hit you, but you're still afraid of me. Is it the same thing with Theo? Are you afraid of him so therefore you refuse to get to know him and spread lies instead?" Ikuta growled.

"I'm telling the truth. He's hurting me. He said if I told anyone, he would hurt you," Hisui said.

"How convenient. Has James also been hurting you? Has Dom been planning a mutiny against me too?" Ikuta snapped.

"No—"

"Well you seem to know my crew better than I do. I was just wonder who else's reputation you decided to ruin tonight," Ikuta said.

"I'm not lying. I can show you the bruises," Hisui cried. His hands went to pull off the scarf wrapped around his neck. But Ikuta's hand wrapped around his wrist. Hisui looked up at the man, hoping to see sympathy. But Ikuta's face was contorted into a mask of hatred.

"I really wanted to believe you were just an innocent kid you got mixed up in a bad situation. This has gone on long enough."

Hisui's eyes widened. "But I'm not lying! Theo threatened to kill you!" Hisui cried. Ikuta yanked Hisui's hands away from his scarf and dragged him out of the cabin onto the deck. Hisui struggled to keep up, tripping over his feet at every turn. "Ikuta, please, you have to believe me. I wouldn't like to you," Hisui said. Why wouldn't anyone believe him? Why wouldn't anyone see how sick he had become? Why were they ignoring Hisui like he was a leper? Was he really such a burden that these people would rather side with a monster?

The men who were out on the deck gathered around, curious to see what the commotion was about.

"What's happening?" Dom asked. He stepped up next to Ikuta, ignoring Hisui entirely.

Hisui is accusing Theo of hurting him?" Ikuta snarled.

"What? Theo wouldn't do that!" Jean cried.

"He's against violence. He hates doing anything to hurt someone," Ted said.

"Please, I swear I'm not lying. I have, I have," Hisui whimpered, giving up completely. No one was on his side. No one was going to help him. What was going to happen to him?

These men had never scared Hisui. Theo was the only person who Hisui was terrified of. But now that they thought he was lying, now that a week of thinking Hisui was useless, lazy, and spoiled, what were they going to do? More importantly, what was Theo going to do? He had warned Hisui not to tell anyone. He had said if Hisui did tell, Theo would hurt the crew instead of him. Was that just a bluff? Hisui prayed that was the case. He prayed that Theo would leave the crew alone. It was his fault that all of this was happening anyways.

"You need to get off my ship. I can't have someone causing trouble in my crew," Ikuta said.

So he was going to be abandoned at the next port. It could be worse. At least it was only two days away. Ikuta yanked Hisui forward, towards the edge of the ship. Hisui's eyes widened. Ikuta wasn't even going to wait until they got to the port? He was just going to dump Hisui over the side of the ship to let him drown? But that wasn't the case either. Instead, Ikuta tossed Hisui into a rowboat.

"Ikuta, please. I'm not lying. Please, I'm scared. I promise I won't do it again. I'll do anything. Please don't leave me," Hisui said. He didn't hold back the tears anymore. They began streaming down his face as he was lowered into the water.

Theo's words echoed in his mind as the little boat splashed into the water and the ship left it behind. He wasn't good for anything. He was just a doll, something pretty to be kept as a pet. He had no other purpose. The crew had been kind enough to try and give him another purpose, but it had failed miserably. Now he was worthless once more.

Hisui sat up and scrubbed the tears off his face. "What am I still doing here? Ikuta and the crew are still in danger. If they won't defend against Theo, then I'll just have to do it myself," Hisui said.

Even if Ikuta had abandoned Hisui, he still got him out of his cage. Hisui couldn't stand by and let the men who had saved him be hurt by a monster they thought was their friend. They wouldn't be prepared to fight Theo. They could get seriously injured when Theo found out Hisui had told them. It was his fault he wasn't strong enough. He wouldn't let anyone else take the fall for it. And besides, if Ikuta wouldn't listen to reason, then Hisui was just going to have to make him listen to reason. Even if that meant tying the man up and forcing him to look at the bruises and marks.

Hisui flopped over the side of the boat and began to swim to the ship. It wasn't very far away, but it was still difficult for Hisui to catch up. His injuries were screaming and he wanted nothing more than to sleep and eat. Hisui could do this. He could protect the people he loved.

Finally, he caught up to the ship. A rope had been dangling over the side of the ship, just out of Hisui's reach. He did his best to jump and get it. Using his legs, he pushed himself out of the water. His fingers barely scraped the rope. He tied again, this time using the side of the ship to push himself higher. He grabbed onto the rope but still slid off. Again and again he tried until he finally managed to get a grip on it. But his work wasn't through yet. He began pulling himself up, his feet getting splinters from the wood and he continued to push. It seemed luck was on his side as a cannon hole was opened, without a cannon in it. Smiling, Hisui peeking through, ensuring no one was there. He slipped through the small opening and collapsed on the floor. Everything ached and his eyes were getting heavy. He dragged himself over to two crates and sandwiched himself between them. He had to come up with a plan to save everyone from Theo. But his eyes were slipping shut on their own accord. And, before Hisui comprehended what was happening, he fell asleep.


End file.
